Lettering set

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a lettering set having annular templates, a scriber mounted on a platform and a base mounted on a guide. The transcription of characters from a template to a drawing surface relies on the principle that a pen rigidly connected to a pin describes a character on a drawing surface when the pin is moved in grooves forming the character on the template. When the pen-pin assembly, which is called the scriber, is prevented from rotating about the axis perpendicular to the drawing surface while the tracer pin is moved in character-groove within the template, the character described on the drawing surface of the scriber pen is exactly same as the character within the template traced by the tracer pin of the scriber. This type of transcription is called the similar transcription. When the scriber experiences a certain rotation about the axis perpendicular to the drawing surface in the process of transcription, the character transcribed on the drawing surface by the scriber pen bears a shape different from the character within the template traced by the tracer pin of the scriber. This type of transcription is called the non-similar transcription. The characters within the template used in non-similar transcription must have particular shapes so that they can be transcribed to characters bearing desired shapes.

June 3, 1975 Q United States Patent [:91

Lew

1 1 LETTERING SET [76] Inventor: Hyok Sang Lew, 1620 East Blacklidge. Tucson, Ariz. 85719 [22] Filed: Apr. 13, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 350,723

[52] US. Cl 33/23 D [51} Int. Cl B431 13/10 [58] Field of Search 33/23 0,23 K, 25 D, 23 R {561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,991,401 2/1935 McDonald 33/25 D 3,359,641 12/1967 Gregston 33/23 D Primary Examinerl-Iarry N. Haroian 1 1 ABSTRACT This invention relates to a lettering set having annular templates, a scriber mounted on a platform and a base mounted on a guide. The transcription of characters from a template to a drawing surface relies on the principle that a pen rigidly connected to a pin describes a character on a drawing surface when the pin is moved in grooves forming the character on the template. When the pen-pin assembly, which is called the scriber, is prevented from rotating about the axis perpendicular to the drawing surface while the tracer pin is moved in character-groove within the template, the character described on the drawing surface of the scriber pen is exactly same as the character within the template traced by the tracer pin of the scriber. This type of transcription is called the similar transcription. When the scriber experiences a certain rotation about the axis perpendicular to the drawing surface in the process of transcription, the character transcribed on the drawing surface by the scriber pen bears a shape different from the character within the template traced by the tracer pin of the scriber. This type of transcription is called the non-similar transcription The characters within the template used in non-similar transcription must have particular shapes so that they can be transcribed t0 characters bearing desired shapes.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 36 i ll LETTERING SET The lettering set disclosed in the present invention can be used for similar transcription as well as for nonsimilar transcription. The first kind annular tempiate disclosed in the present invention bears characters formed in grooves having the shapes same as those desired for characters to be scribed on the drawing surface. The scriber disclosed in the present invention has a pen-tracer pin-support pin assembly built on a ring, which ring is coupled with a rod by a gimbal. The scriber is connected to a platform in a sliding relationship by the rod gimbaled to the scriber ring. The platform disclosed in the present invention has two gears having the same diameter and a chain interconnecting these gears. The first gear is fixed on a post extending upwardly from the base of the platform. The second gear is mounted on a journal extending upwardly from a plate, which plate is pivoted by the post locking the first gear. The second gear can be moved around the first gear as the plate can be rotated about the first gear. When the second gear is rotated about the first gear fixed on the base of the platform by a post, the chain causes the second gear to rotate about its center over an angle equal and opposite to the angle swept by the rotation of the second gear about the center of the first gear. As a consequence, the second gear experiences no net rotation about the axis perpendicular to the base of the platform while it is moved laterally on the base of the platform. The rod connecting the scriber and the platform is received by two guide holes built on the second gear of the platform in such a way that the scriber can be moved upwardly or downwardly relative to the second gear on the drawing surface. The lateral movement of the scriber on the drawing surface is provided by the rotational movement of the second gear about the first gear. Therefore, the scriber can be moved in all directions on the drawing surface but prevented from being rotated about the axis perpendicular to the drawing surface. The annular templates bearing characters designed for similar transcription and the scriber mounted on the platform provide means needed for similar transcription.

The lettering set disclosed in the present invention can be used for non-similar transcription, too. One of the widely used lettering set for non-similar transcription is that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,01 1,l95, which lettering set is composed of bar templates having a guide groove (in addition to characters designed for non-similar transcription) and a scriber having a guide pin (in addition to a pen, a tracer pin and a support pin). The second kind annular template disclosed in the present invention bears characters formed in grooves, which characters have particular shapes designed for non-similar transcription. This kind annular template is mounted on a base. The base disclosed in the present invention has one or more arms having a guide groove to receive the guide pin attached to the scriber used in non-similar transcription. The annular template mounted on the base can be rotated to bring each character disposed on the template to a specific position, which is called the zenith position. A character disposed on the template positioned at a zenith position and the guide groove formed within an arm extending laterally from the same zenith position provide the combination same as that provided by a character and the guide groove disposed on a bar template. Therefore, the scriber having a guide pin initially intended for the use with bar templates can be used in conjunction with the lettering set disclosed in the present invention.

The lettering set disclosed in the present invention also has a guide, which guide is used in guiding the lettering set in a desired direction. The guide disclosed in the present invention has a device used in securing the guide on the drawing surface, which device involves a pair of apertures having a hinged door-like member fitting into each apertures. A piece of adhesive tape placed across an open aperture with its sticky side facing the surface of the drawing paper is trapped between the rims of the aperture and the door-like member when the door-like member is pressed into the aperture. Such an action brings the sticky side of the adhesive tape trapped in the aperture to the adherance on the surface of the drawing paper and thus secures the guide in a desired position. The method of securing the guide on the drawing surface disclosed in the present invention is superior to that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,390,466.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INVENTION Lettering sets using non-similar transcription method have a number of disadvantages. The scriber employed in such sets have a guide pin, which has to be kept in the guide groove formed on the bar template while the characters on the bar template is traced by the tracer pin. Since two pins attached on the scriber, i.e., the tracer pin and the guide pin, have to be moved in appropriate grooves on the bar template, the movement of the scriber having a guide pin is not very smooth. As a consequence, lettering sets using non-similar transcription is not easy to use for average users. The bar templates used in conjunction with the scriber having a guide pin must be sufficiently long to include a guide groove long enough to receive the guide pin of the scriber when the most extreme character on the bar template is being transcribed. The bar templates bearing characters of large scale are often very long and, consequently, create a problem of storage space.

The smoothness in the movement of the scriber is hampered by the guide pin. Hence a greater smoothness in the movement of the scriber can be achieved by devising a scriber without guide pin. The scriber disclosed in the present invention has no guide pin. The mechanical connections involved in the platform can be lubricated (lubrication of the guide groove formed on the bar template is not feasible, since it will most likely stain the drawing paper). Therefore, the lettering set disclosed in the present invention ensures a great smoothness in operation, which makes its use easy. Further more, it enables the similar transcription, which is not possible with the scriber having a guide pin.

The storage problem created by the unusually long bar template can be solved by replacing bar templates with annular templates. A number of invention related to annular or circular templates have been disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,64! employs annular templates for non-similar transcription. In field of engraving apparatus, circular templates have been employed, of which U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,333 and US. Pat. No. 3,310,874 are representative. Pantographic apparatus such as that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 1,991,40l and US. Pat. No. 2,032,350 also employ annular or circular templates. However, all apparatus mentioned above are not satisfactory to draftsmen, because they are bulky and awhard to employ. The lettering set disclosed in the present invention is very compact. It also provides means to use annular templates in conjunction with a scriber, which is initially intended for the use in conjunction with bar templates.

The primary object of the present invention is to invent a compact, smooth and dual-purpose (similar and non-similar transcription) lettering set. This object is achieved by employing the following principles and mechanisms:

One object of the present invention is annular tem plates bearing characters designed for similar or nonsimilar transcription.

Another object of the present invention is the scribing device having the pen-tracer pin-support pin assembly connected to a rod by a gimbal.

Yet another object of the present invention is the platform, which maintains a constant orientation of the scribing device.

Still another object of the present invention is the base having one or more arms bearing guide groove. The base provides not only a base for the annular template and the platform but also means to use annular templates in conjunction with a scriber designed for the use with bar templates.

A further object of the present invention is the guide having means of securing it on the drawing surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be described with greater clarity and specificity with reference to the following figures:

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the present invention showing a cross section taken along line 22, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an annular template bearing characters designed for similar transcription or non-similar transcription, used in conjunction with the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the scribing device used in conjunction with the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the mechanism involved in the platform, which platform maintains a constant orientation of the scribing device, used in conjunction with the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates the base used in conjunction with the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the guide having securing device, which is usable in conjunction with the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown a top view and side view showing a cross section taken along line 22, respectively. of the lettering set of the present invention. An annular template I, which template includes a plurality of characters 3 designed for similar transcription or characters 30 designed for non-similar transcription. is mounted upon a base 36. A pair of guides and 21 extends upwardly from base 36 and serve to positionally orient annular template 1 with respect to base 36. Base 36 includes a cavity 59 disposed at the bottom thereof for receiving a positional guide 32. Guide 32 permits sideways movement of the lettering apparatus while maintaining the angular orientation of the apparatus. An arm 28, including a groove 29 disposed therein, extends to the left from the bottom of base 36 (seen from a direction where FIG. 2 appears right to FIG. 1). A similar arm 33, including a groove 34, extends to the right from the top of the base 36. A generally circular platform 35 is disposed central to template 1 upon base 36. Platform 35 is secured in position upon base 36 by a pair of guides 20 and 21. Flat form 35 includes two gears 11 and I3 interconnected by a chain 12, which gearing assembly maintains a constant orientation of rod 9. Rod 9 engages receivers 16 and 17 in a sliding relationship. Receivers l6 and 17 are built on top of gear 11. A gimbal 8 couples rod 9 and ring structure 4 including a writing implement 5, a support pin 6 and a tracer pin 7. Scriber 26, including a writing implement 24, a support pin 25, a tracer pin 23 and a guide pin 27, is a scribing device initially intended for the use with a bar template. Lettering apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be disassembled by taking apart separate components such as annular template 1, scribing device 4, platform 35, base 36 and guide 32.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a further view of annular template 1. A piurality of characters 3 designed for similar transcription or characters 30 designed for nonsimilar transcription are formed by grooves on template 1 and are aligned with radial thereof. The inner edge 37 includes a plurality of indentations II, each of which positionally corresponds to one of characters 3 or 30. The outer edge 38 includes an abrasive finish to provide a good finger-grip. Spring biased detents 19 and 22 extend from the outer edges of guides 20 and 21, respectively (see FIGS. 1 and 6). Detent 19 engages an indentation positionally corresponding to a character which is brought to an orientation coinciding with line 22 (character A being traced by tracer pin 7 in FIG. 1), and thereby secures the character to be transcribed in position. Detent 22 does the same in securing a character in position, which is brought to another orientation coinciding with line 22 (slanted A being traced by tracer pin 23 in FIG. 1). The spring bias of detents 19 and 22 permits template 1 to be easily manually rotated and thereby afford facile selection of the characters.

The scribing device 4 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated in further detail in FIG. 4. A writing implement 5 is attached to a segmented ring 42 by a branch 40 of a Y shaped arm 39. The dimensions of ring 42 and Y- shaped arm 39 are not critical but should be sufficient to position writing implement 5 far enough away from the lettering apparatus to prevent interference between the writing implement and the structure of the lettering apparauts. A support pin 6, selectively positionable by means of threads, is threadedly engaged within a branch 41 of Y shaped arm 39, which arm extends external to ring 42. The support pin 6 positions ring 42 above the drawing paper at a height commensurate with the tip of the writing implement 5. A tracer pin 7 is affixed to arm 43, which arm extends internal to ring 42. Tracer pin 7 engages one of characters 3 disposed within template 1 (see FIG. 3). Movement of tracer pin 7 in conformance to one of characters 3 causes writing implement 5 to transcribe the character onto a piece of drawing paper. The ring structure 4, including writing implement 5, support pin 6 and tracer pin 7, and rod 9 are coupled by gimbal 8. The ends 45 and 48 of gimbal 8 engage apertures 44 and 49, which apertures are disposed on opposite side of ring 42. Rod 9 rotatably engages the middle section of gimbal 8. The spacing intermediate extremities 46 and 47 of ring 42 is sufficient to permit rod 9 to pass therethrough.

In FIG. 5, there is shown platform 35 with two gears 11 and 13 mounted thereon. Platform 35 is generally circular shaped but includes flattended edges 50 and 54 disposed on diametically opposed sides. Keys 52 and 53 extend outwardly from edges 50 and 54, respectively. These keys 52 and 53 mate with keyways 56 and 57 within guides and 21, respectively, and positionally retain platform 35 upon base 36 (see FIGS. 1 and 6). A post 14 extends upwardly from platform 35. Post 14 is locked to platform 35 to prevent rotation therebetween. A plate 15 is journalled upon post 14 to permit rotation therebetween. The extremity 51 of plate 15 engages an arcuate guide 18 of radius R, which guide permits pivotal movement of plate 15 about post 14 but restrains movement upward from the platform base surface. A gear 13 is nonrotationally affixed to the upper end of post 14. Another gear 11 having a diameter same as that of gear 13 is journalled upon a post 10, which post extends upwardly from plate 15. A chain 12 interconnects gears 11 and 13. With this gearing arrangement, it may be understood that as plate 15 pivots about post 14, and with respect to gear 13, chain 12 will cause gear 11 to rotate in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of plate 15. This movement will cause a diametric reference line, indicated by an arrow N, associated with gear 11, to be maintained at the same angular orientation. That is, as plate 15 moves to one side or the other, reference orientation arrow N will move to the corresponding side but will always be parallel to the initial position shown in FIG. 5.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation of scribing device 4 will be described in further detail. Rod 9 engages receivers 16 and 17 in a sliding relationship. Thus, scribing device 4 is free to move upwardly or downwardly with respect to gear 11. The three point suspension for maintaining ring 42 in an essentially horizontal orientation is provided by the combination of writing implement 5 resting upon the drawing paper, support pin 6 also resting upon the drawing paper and tracing pin 7 resting within the groove of one of the characters 3 disposed within annular template 1. The gimbal 8, being pivotally connected to ring 42, does not offer support for the ring but does prevent any angular reorientation of the ring 42 with respect to rod 9.

Referring to FIG. 2 in particular, there is shown, in broken outline, the position 66 of writing implement 4 when not in use. By lifting ring 42, gimbal 8 will pivot about the end of rod 9. Simultaneously, ring 42 will pivot about the extremities 45 and 48 of gimbal 8 with the net effect being that of raising and moving the scribing device 4 toward the center of the lettering apparatus. At the position of rest 66 (shown in broken outline), the writing implement is removed from the drawing paper and is essentially out of harm's way.

In FIG. 6, base 36 and arms 28 and 33 are shown in further detail. The primary function of arms 28 and 33 and their associated grooves 29 and 34, respectively, is that of permitting the annular template 1 of the present invention, which template includes a plurality of characters 30 designed for non-similar transcription, to be used in conjunction with presently available scribers having a guide pin, which scriber is initially intended to be used in conjunction with bar templates.

Referring to FIG. 1, the use of the present invention in conjunction with a scriber having a guide pin will be described. One of grooves 29 or 34 receives guide pin 27 of scriber 26. Tracer pin 23 is positioned within the appropriate character disposed within annular template I, which character is brought to above or below extremities of base 36 by rotating annular template I, depending upon whether groove 29 or 34 is engaged. Thus, the present invention may be used to obtain nonsimilar transcription of characters, therein an annular template 1 including a plurality of characters 30 designed for non-similar transcription is used in conjunction with a scriber 26 having a guide pin 27.

The positional guide 32 is shown in further detail in FIG. 7. It primarily serves the function of positioning base 36 along a given line, which given line is parallel to the line of characters to be transcribed. At each of the extremities 60 and 65, there is included a pivotal member 31 and 63, respectively. Matching apertures 61 and 62 are also disposed in guide 32. In the lowered position, members 31 and 63 are disposed within their respective apertures. The function served by members 31 and 63 is that of permitting a piece of adhesive tape such as tape 64 to be used to secure guide 32 along a predetermined line of a drawing board.

A piece of adhesive tape is laid across each of the apertures 61 and 62 after their respective members have been raised. The members 31 and 63 are thence forced into the apertures. The movement of members 31 and 63 causes the adhesive tape to contact and adhere to the drawing board beneath guide 32. Simultaneously, the adhesive tape contacts and adheres to the edges of apertures 61 and 62 and possibly the upper surface of guide 32. Thus, guide 32 is securely positioned upon the drawing board. Thereafter, base 36 is fitted upon guide 32 such that cavity 59 engages the guide 32. Base 36 may now be moved along guide 32 and establish the base line for characters to be transcribed on the drawing surface.

From the above descriptions, it may be readily understood that the movement of scribing device 4, when tracer pin 7 traces a line coincident with a line 2-2 shown in FIG. 1, causes rod 9 to slide into or out of receivers 16 and 17 without any lateral movement of plate 15. However, when a line traced by tracer pin 7 is other than line 2-2, scribing device 4 will be displaced laterally with respect to base 36. The lateral movement of the scribing device 4, because of the geometric relationships between the scribing device 4, rod 9, gears 11 and 13, chain 12 and plate 15, will cause plate 15 to pivot about post 14 and further cause gear 11 to rotate about post 10 in a direction opposite to the pivotal movement of plate 15. Since gears 11 and 13 have the same diameter, rotation of gear 11 caused by the rotation of plate 15 and that caused by the chain 12 will cancel each other. Thus, rod 9, disposed within receivers 16 and 17, is not angularly reoriented despite lateral movement and, consequently, there will be no angular reorientation of scribing device 4. Therefore, any transcription by writing implement 5 of one of characters 3 disposed within template 1 is necessarily duplication of any traced character.

While the principle of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structures, arrangement, proportions the elements, materials, and components, used in the practice of the invention which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operating requirements without departing from those principles.

I claim:

1. In a lettering apparatus for transcribing characters from a template onto a drawing surface, said apparatus comprising:

a. a base platform movable on the drawing surface;

b. a first gear nonrotatably secured to said baseplatform on a post;

c. a second gear rotatably secured to a plate near one extremity of said plate, said plate pivotally secured to said post near the other extremity of said plate;

(1. means for inter-connecting said first and second gears; whereby, pivotal movement of said plate in one direction results in equal angular rotation of said second gear in another direction to maintain the constant angular orientation of said second gear;

e. receiving means disposed on said second gear, for

slidably receiving a first scribing device to said second gear, a first scribing device slidable received in said receiving means, said receiving means providing linear movement of said first scribing device relative to said second gear in a first direction gen erally parallel to said drawing surface while restraining said first scribing device from rotating about an axis parallel to the axis of said second gear; and

f. said pivotal movement of said second gear about said post defining and providing the movement of said first scribing device connected to said second gear in a second direction generally parallel to said drawing surface and generally transverse to said first direction, said first and second directions not being parallel to one another,; whereby, said first scribing device is movable on said drawing surface in both said first and second directions and restrained frorn rotation about its own axis.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein a base is provided upon which said base-platform is mounted, said base includes one or more arms having a guide groove for receiving the guide pin of second scribing device, said second scribing device being commonly used in conjunction with linear templates having a guide groove.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base includes means for mounting and guiding an annular templates. said annular template rotatable around said first and second gears and said base platform.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first scribing device transcribes characters in similar style and said second scribing device trascribes characters in nonsimilar style; whereby, characters of upright style and characters of slanted style can be transcribed from said template.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first scribing device comprises:

a. means for mounting a writing implement; and

b. a rod extending from said mounting means slidably received in said receiving means on second gear.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said mounting means comprises:

a. a segmented ring;

b. a tracing pin disposed interior to said segmented ring and secured thereto;

c. a scribing pen and a support pin disposed exterior to said segmented ring and securd thereto;

(1. a gymbal pivotally connected to said segmented ring; and

e. journal means for pivotally connecting said rod to said gymbal; whereby, said segmented ring is rotatable about said journal means.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said receiving means disposed on said second gear comprises receivers slidably engaging said rod; whereby, said writing implement is movable along the axis of said rod.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said annular template includes a plurality of indentations disposed along the inner edge of said annular template, each said indentation corresponding to one of characters disposed on said annular template.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said base includes a spring biased detent for engaging one of said indentations; whereby, said annular template is restrained from freely rotating. 

1. In a lettering apparatus for transcribing characters from a template onto a drawing surface, said apparatus comprising: a. a base-platform movable on the drawing surface; b. a first gear nonrotatably secured to said base-platform on a post; c. a second gear rotatably secured to a plate near one extremity of said plate, said plate pivotally secured to said post near the other extremity of said plate; d. means for inter-connecting said first and second gears; whereby, pivotal movement of said plate in one direction results in equal angular rotation of said second gear in another direction to maintain the constant angular orientation of said second gear; e. receiving means disposed on said second gear, for slidably receiving a first scribing device to said second gear, a first scribing device slidable received in said receiving means, said receiving means providing linear movement of said first scribing device relative to said second gear in a first direction generally parallel to said drawing surface while restraining said first scribing device from rotating about an axis parallel to the axis of said second gear; and f. said pivotal movement of said second gear about said post defining and providing the movement of said first scribing device connected to said second gear in a second direction generally parallel to said drawing surface and generally transverse to said first direction, said first and second directions not being parallel to one another,; whereby, said first scribing device is movable on said drawing surface in both said first and second directions and restrained from rotation about its own axis.
 1. In a lettering apparatus for transcribing characters from a template onto a drawing surface, said apparatus comprising: a. a base-platform movable on the drawing surface; b. a first gear nonrotatably secured to said base-platform on a post; c. a second gear rotatably secured to a plate near one extremity of said plate, said plate pivotally secured to said post near the other extremity of said plate; d. means for inter-connecting said first and second gears; whereby, pivotal movement of said plate in one direction results in equal angular rotation of said second gear in another direction to maintain the constant angular orientation of said second gear; e. receiving means disposed on said second gear, for slidably receiving a first scribing device to said second gear, a first scribing device slidable received in said receiving means, said receiving means providing linear movement of said first scribing device relative to said second gear in a first direction generally parallel to said drawing surface while restraining said first scribing device from rotating about an axis parallel to the axis of said second gear; and f. said pivotal movement of said second gear about said post defining and providing the movement of said first scribing device connected to said second gear in a second direction generally parallel to said drawing surface and generally transverse to said first direction, said first and second directions not being parallel to one another,; whereby, said first scribing device is movable on said drawing surface in both said first and second directions and restrained from rotation about its own axis.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein a base is provided upon which said base-platform is mounted, said base includes one or more arms having a guide groove for receiving the guide pin of second scribing device, said second scribing device being commonly used in conjunction with linear templates having a guide groove.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base includes means for mounting and guiding an annular templates, said annular template rotatable around said first and second gears and said base platform.
 4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first scribing device transcribes characters in similar style and said second scribing device trascribes characters in nonsimilar style; whereby, characters of upright style and characters of slanted style can be transcribed from said template.
 5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first scribing device comprises: a. means for mounting a writing implement; and b. a rod extending from said mounting means slidably received in said receiving means on second gear.
 6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said mounting means comprises: a. a segmented ring; b. a tracing pin disposed interior to said segmented ring and secured thereto; c. a scribing pen and a support pin disposed exterior to said segmented ring and securd thereto; d. a gymbal pivotally connected to said segmented ring; and e. journal means for pivotally connecting said rod to said gymbal; whereby, said segmented ring is rotatable about said journal means.
 7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said receiving means disposed on said second gear comprises receivers slidably engaging said rod; whereby, said writing implement is movable along the axis of said rod.
 8. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said annular template includes a plurality of indentations disposed along the inner edge of said annular template, each said indentation corresponding to one of characters disposed on said annular template. 